diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index aeb7a3f345..3c5fda5865 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -166,15 +166,6 @@ if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Darwin" AND CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P EQUAL 8)
     "${CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS} -image_base 100000000")
 endif()
 
-option(USE_GCOV "Enable gcov support" OFF)
-
-if(USE_GCOV)
-  message(STATUS "Enabling gcov support")
-  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} --coverage")
-  set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} --coverage")
-  set(CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS} --coverage")
-endif()
-
 include_directories("${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/config")
 include_directories("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src")
 
diff --git a/src/nvim/CMakeLists.txt b/src/nvim/CMakeLists.txt
index 810809ea17..803ae4f911 100644
--- a/src/nvim/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/nvim/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 include(CheckLibraryExists)
 
+option(USE_GCOV "Enable gcov support" OFF)
+
+if(USE_GCOV)
+  message(STATUS "Enabling gcov support")
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} --coverage")
+  set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} --coverage")
+  set(CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS} --coverage")
+endif()
+
 set(GENERATED_DIR ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/src/nvim/auto)
 set(DISPATCH_GENERATOR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/msgpack-gen.lua)
 file(GLOB API_HEADERS api/*.h)
@@ -199,6 +208,6 @@ set_property(TARGET libnvim APPEND_STRING PROPERTY COMPILE_FLAGS " -DMAKE_LIB ")
 add_library(nvim-test MODULE EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${NEOVIM_GENERATED_SOURCES}
     ${NEOVIM_SOURCES} ${NEOVIM_HEADERS})
 target_link_libraries(nvim-test ${NVIM_LINK_LIBRARIES})
-set_target_properties(nvim-test PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS -DUNIT_TESTING)
+set_property(TARGET nvim-test APPEND_STRING PROPERTY COMPILE_FLAGS -DUNIT_TESTING)
 
 add_subdirectory(po)